The Koji Club
Bar · Brighton
525 Western Ave #6, Brighton, MA 02135
Highlights
Sake bar with educational approach, rare bottles, and small bites
Sake bar with educational approach, rare bottles, and small bites
"Nestled inside the Charles River Speedway, Boston’s only dedicated sake bar is a welcoming, knowledgeable home for bargoers to unwind and fall in love with sake for the first time or the thousandth time. Pop in anytime from Wednesday through Sunday to sip your way through the menu, or check out the bar’s events calendar for a more curated experience." - Erika Adams
"Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale is up for Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service." - Erika Adams
"Stop by the Koji Club at the Charles River Speedway to warm up with some atsukan (hot sake) before cheering on your favorite rowers, or pick up a cup of sake. Make it your official Head of the Charles drink of choice as the tradition of “cup sake” can be traced back to 1964 Tokyo Olympics. If you’re coming to the Speedway with a large group to hang around, the neighboring Notch Brewing has ample space both indoors and outdoors; Rite Tea & Espresso is one of the city’s best new coffee shops; and Pizza Project is a great option for sourdough-style pizza." - Valerie Li Stack
"Much like other spots on this list, finding a reservation for two or more at the Koji Club can involve some patience, while sneaking in solo is generally more of a breeze. That’s because outlets near and far — including Esquire dubbing it one of the best bars in America in 2023 — just can’t get enough of this Brighton sake bar snuggled within the Charles River Speedway. Yes, pop in for limited and unusual sake that are all listed with helpful tasting notes. But do stay for the bites of sushi, mushroom miso soup, and Japanese curry empanadas. Moe Kuroki, formerly of the beloved Oisa Slurp and Go ramen shop, serves as the consulting chef, and she sometimes holds popups in the space and elsewhere." - Nathan Tavares
"Boston’s buzzing bar scene received another national nod this past week: On June 1, Esquire magazine named three-year-old Boston sake bar the Koji Club one of its best bars in America in 2023. The beloved spot, run by acclaimed sake enthusiast Alyssa DiPasquale, is the city’s first dedicated sake bar, and it aims to approach sake from an educational yet accessible, everyday-drinking standpoint. Editor Kevin Sintumuang wrote for Esquire that stepping into the tiny space 'felt like a world away here more Tokyo than Beantown' and, once inside, bargoing strangers quickly became companions. 'Within minutes we all started to feel like friends deep into a sake journey,' Sintumuang wrote." - Erika Adams
